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Saturday, 15 June 2013

ISLAMABAD, June 15: The climbing season has already started in Pakistan with mountaineers attempting not just the 8,000 metres plus peaks but also those seldom summated to set new records.

Trango Tower 6286-M

Austrian, French,
British and Italian mountaineers started arriving in the country a week ago and
some of them are on their way to try new challenges in the Karakorum Range.

The
Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said it was a good sign that more climbers and adventure
seekers were heading towards Pakistan for unique as well as adventurous
climbing experiences.

Mountains
in the Karakorum Range are not just technically challenging but access to these
high peaks is difficult compared to the neighbouring countries such as Nepal.

“In
the 9/11 aftermath, climbers have been scared to head towards the Karakorum
Range. Most of the foreigners confused the conflict in
Swat valley with Gilgit-Baltistan,” said Karrar Haidri, the ACP’s member
executive council, explaining how security and safety was the top most concern
for tourists.

Nonetheless,
two Austrian climbers were heading to the base of Masherbrum, 7,821 metres
high, the 9th highest peak in Pakistan and the 22nd tallest in the world.

Masherbrum
was first summated in 1938 and then in 1960. Austrian David Lama and Peter
Ortner, known for their free ascent, who summated Trango Towers and Chogolisa
in the Karakorum peaks, would be climbing Masherbrum through an unclimbed 3,800
metres high wall.

Austrian
Hansjorg Auer and Swiss Simon Anthamatten had their eyes on the 7,400 Kunyang
Chish East.

The
pair would attempt to summit the peak in July after being acclimatised. There
have been four attempts in the past but the mountain is yet to see its first
ascent.

In
one such attempt, Steve House and Vince Anderson had to abandon their summit
push just 300 metres short from the top.

A
French expedition, which reached Pakistan in May, is already getting
acclimatised by climbing some 5,000 metres to 6,000 metres high peaks in the
Hunza Valley.

The
group made up of about eight climbers is preparing to summit the Passu Peak –
7,189 metres high – in the Hunza Valley. They planned to ski their way down
after the summit.

The
Alpine Club said three Spanish climbers – Alberto Inurragtegi, Juan Vallejo and
Mikel Zabala – would be climbing the 6,610 metres tall Paijo Peak this summer.

They
would be attempting a route, a kilometre high rock wall.

To
date, Paiju peak, which means salt in the local language, has only been
summated by Manzoor Hussain, the current president of the ACP, who led an
expedition of renowned Pakistani mountaineers Nazir Sabir, Raja Bashir and an
American climber Allen Steck in 1976.

The
6,109 metres high Uli Biaho Tower, also in the Karakorum Range, is on the list
of six Italian climbers, including a photographer.

According
to the ACP, the group is expected to arrive in the country on June 17.

One
of their biggest challenges would be to overcome a 1,000 metres high rock wall.

British
climbers Jon Griffith and Andy Houseman would be attempting to climb K6, which
is 7,281 metre high, K7, 6,934 metres high and the 7,041 metres tall Link Sar
in the Charakusa Valley home to numerous climbing options between 6,000 metres
and 7,000 metres peaks.